Eyeball Spots: Causes

What causes eyeball spots?

Eyeball spots can be caused by a number of conditions or diseases ranging from minor trauma to cancer. Because of the variety of underlying causes of eyeball spots and the similarity of many of the other symptoms associated with these underlying causes, you should consult your health care professional to determine the cause and get treatment if necessary for your eyeball spots.

Nonserious causes of eyeball spots

Eyeball spots may be caused by underlying conditions or diseases that typically do not cause permanent damage to the eye or loss of vision including:

Axenfeld nerve loop (resembles small freckle)

Eyedrops (crystallized drug deposition)

Horner-Trantas
dots (small white or yellowish dots near the edge of the colored part
of the eye caused by long-standing eye allergies)

Nevus (brown spot similar to a freckle on the eye, may harbor cysts)

Pinguecula (small, yellowish-pink benign growth of the moist coating of the eye that appear as a bump on the eye surface)

Pterygium (a noncancerous white growth on the lining of the eye that is near the cornea)

Racial melanosis (brown-tan irregularly shaped patches)

Scleral thinning (exposes underlying dark uveal pigment)

Senile calcinosis (grey patches at 3 and 9 o’clock)

Subconjunctival hemorrhage (bleeding in the white part of your eye)

Serious causes of eyeball spots

In some cases, eyeball spots may be a symptom of a serious condition that should be immediately evaluated by a medical professional. These include:

Have there been any changes in the color or distribution of your eyeball spots?

What medications are you taking?

Where on the eye are the spots located?

Are you experiencing any other symptoms with your eyeball spots?

What are the potential complications of eyeball spots?

Eyeball spots themselves usually do not present serious complications, although they may cause an itchy or gritting feeling in the eye. In some cases, eyeball spots may be caused by an underlying condition, such as cancer or inflammation inside the eye that can lead to vision-threatening or life-threatening complications. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including:

What are eyeball spots?

The term eyeball spots generally refers to any discoloration on the
surface of the eye that is visible to other people. It does not include
spots that you sometimes see in your own vision, such as floaters, but
only those spots that can be seen on the surface of your eye.